Escaping abroad is the only way to escape from prison for many "influential" criminals. In Russia, such shoots have become widespread over the past few years. But this option of salvation is quite risky: almost all states have international agreements providing for the extradition of offenders (extradition). However, there are exceptions. We will find out which countries do not extradite criminals to Russia.
The concept of extradition
This is a form of international cooperation regarding the detention and subsequent transfer of lawbreakers. The procedure is carried out on the basis of international law. States conclude bilateral agreements implying cooperation in this area. Extraordinary crimes are mandatory enshrined in international acts.
The main document governing extradition is the European Convention on Extradition (12/13/1957). Russia signed the document in 1996. In 1999, the act was ratified and contained a number of reservations that described cases of a ban on the extradition of citizens of the Russian Federation. Among them, article 61 of the Constitution, which states that Russians cannot be expelled from their country to another state.
Currently, Russia has signed about 65 international agreements on cooperation in the field of extradition. Among them are China, Iraq, Iran, Mongolia, India, Vietnam, Japan.
Extradition system
In international practice, there are two of them:
- European continental.
- Anglo-American.
The first system is used in European countries, Latin America, including its former colonies. The rules for the extradition of criminals are governed by the concluded agreements between states.
The Anglo-American system for the extradition of offenders provides for the consideration of a specific case in court. Extradition is made after a positive judicial decision is made, which is taken on the basis of sufficient and irrefutable evidence of the guilt of the persecuted person.
The Russian Federation is a part of the European continental system. The country asks to extradite violators of the law on the basis of concluded agreements, following the rules of the European Convention on Extradition. There is a list of countries where there is no extradition to Russia. As a rule, bilateral agreements have not been concluded with these states or there are political issues that make extradition impossible.
Criminals are issued according to general rules
- The perfect crime should fall into the category of extradition.
- The presence of the principle of double criminality of an act, according to which it is considered under the laws of both states.
- Compliance with the principle of "concreteness". Criminal prosecution and punishment is carried out only for the crime, because of which the extradition of the offender was carried out.
Extradition Restrictions
The 1957 Convention describes features that prohibit the extradition of a persecuted person.
- The crime is political in nature. Moreover, the convention notes that the attempt on the head of state or members of his family is not a political crime.
- Violations associated with customs, currency fraud, taxes.
- When the basis of the persecution is a discriminatory attribute (religious, racial and others).
- If the death penalty or severe punishment in the form of torture can be applied to the person being punished at home.
- When the statute of limitations has expired.
Offenders who want to escape from prison abroad are looking for which countries do not extradite Russian criminals. More often, the basis is taken on the basis of which extradition is not made because of the possibility of torture or humiliation in the home state of the persecuted. If the lawyer manages to prove this fact, then extradition to Russia is prohibited.
List of countries that do not extradite criminals of the Russian Federation
The principle of non-extradition of their citizens is enshrined in almost all countries at the legislative level. Which countries do not extradite criminals of Russia? It:
- Great Britain;
- China;
- America;
- Belarus;
- Ukraine;
- Israel;
- Poland;
- Sweden;
- Venezuela;
- Japan.
In Israel and Venezuela there are separate cases of extradition of persecuted to Russia.
Escape to America
Criminals fleeing Russia have a chance to hide in America. And that's why. Since 2014, relations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply. Therefore, the United States is reluctant to give offenders to Russia. Especially if they are Americans who managed to obtain Russian citizenship. RF is almost impossible to return them. But in this case, there are some nuances: “Russian” Americans can be convicted according to the laws of their native country already in the United States.
But even purely Russian citizens, America does not return to their homeland. More than 20 dangerous criminals with Russian citizenship managed to settle in the United States. And this is despite the fact that all of them are included in the international wanted list and are on the lists of Interpol. The American side points to the absence of a bilateral agreement as a basis for refusing extradition. Because of this, many requests from the Russian side are simply ignored.
But despite the seeming omnipotence of America, there are countries that do not give out US criminals. The list includes: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Serbia, Tunisia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan.
Europe
The oligarchs who took possession of money by criminal means are increasingly choosing Great Britain for emigration. And all because England does not give out criminals to Russia. Failures are often unreasonable. The impossibility of extradition is due to political motives. The legal systems of both states are very different. The English side considers the decision on the possibility of extradition as an emerging responsibility of one country to another. This creates difficulties in resolving the issue. Estonia does not extradite criminals to Russia. And all because in 2015 the Russian president signed a document that proclaimed the rejection of the international treaty on extradition of violators of the law, which had been in force between the countries since 2001. Such a political move was necessary for Russia, but at the same time it simplified the lives of people hiding from persecution.
In addition to England and Estonia, European countries such as Sweden and Poland do not give out criminals to the Russian Federation.
Where else are Russians running?
To escape from prison, people are ready to cross the ocean and settle in the most remote corners of the earth. Often dangerous criminals are found in Cambodia, Trinidad, Nicaragua, Tobago. These are the so-called offshore zones - economically underdeveloped states that do not have sufficient resources. Therefore, they are distinguished by their hospitality to rich foreign tourists, even if they have a criminal past. Many do not even know where these countries are. And the offenders have already studied them in detail and are ready to stay there, just to avoid the prison walls.
Due to the lack of a bilateral agreement, Japan does not extradite criminals to Russia.
Often the cause of the severance or suspension of a treaty on legal assistance in the extradition of criminals is tensions between countries. This happened with Ukraine. Relations between countries are considered tense for several years. They especially soured after the Crimean peninsula became Russian. This explains why Ukraine does not extradite criminals to Russia.
Secrets of the English court
Those who have been to London have probably seen one of its attractions - the main police department of Scotland Yard. The history of England's largest headquarters is very interesting. It was created in 1829 by Robert Peel, the country's future prime minister. The name of the police station was chosen based on its location. Centuries ago, the palace occupied the Scottish kings. At the beginning of the 17th century, the royal building was divided into 2 parts: medium and large Scotland Yard. The decision was made by the government. The subsequent name of the police station took into account the history of the place on which it was built.
The secret of Scotland Yard is that during the reconstruction of the building, the body of a woman without a head was found there. The case was never solved. Reconstruction continued. And in 1888, a new surprise awaited the police - human hands were found in the building. A month later, police discovered parts of the human body there. After some time, one of the workers in the basement saw the corpse of a woman without a head. An examination established that the hands and head previously discovered belonged to this woman. The killer was never found. Interestingly, the famous London police are located in a building that was built on the site of a mysterious unsolved crime.
Black Museum
Tourists who are interested in detective stories and mysteries of the investigation wish to visit the "black" museum of Scotland Yard, known throughout the world. It is located in the building of the London police. The museum is divided into 2 parts. One exhibits on 19th century crimes. The second part is material evidence of the most famous crimes committed in Britain in the 20th century.
In the museum you can see objects that belong to the Jack the Ripper, the brutal gangsters - the Cray brothers. Here you can get acquainted with the story of John Haig - a serial killer who dissolved the bodies of his victims in containers with acid. The museum also has personal items of members of the famous gang that committed the "Great Train Robbery" in 1963.
How does Russia return criminals?
But we will pass from history to the present. Today it is known which countries do not extradite criminals of Russia. And how quickly does the Russian side extradite offenders to other states?
Russia is actively involved in the process of extradition of foreign criminals to their homeland.
If you rely on the data of the Prosecutor General of Russia, then every year the country sends about 700 requests to other states for extradition of criminals. And only 10% execute them. This indicates the inefficiency of this institution. More successful for Russia in the extradition issue are contacts with Spain and Germany. The main reason for failures with other countries is the lack of a bilateral international agreement.
Russia is much more active in extraditing criminals to other states. More than 1,000 foreign offenders are sent home annually. In Russia, the question of extradition of a person to another country is adopted by the General Directorate of International Legal Cooperation of the Prosecutor General. And in Europe, this problem is often resolved through the court, which complicates and delays the process.